We have now been back to Raft One two additional times from our first time. Our second time was with Toast again and our third time yesterday was with Curtbag. Both amazing instructors! Also, shout out to Push Pop for trying so hard to make our experience so adventurous and fun! You can read all the reviews and see how amazing of a time you will have. I can but only agree completely with everyone's reviews. Both instructors made the same river feel different and more and more fun. We did the full river these last two times. It was sooo much fun. Lunch was delicious and the experience with RaftOne can't be beaten. The only thing I can add is just how comfortable we feel to go back. We tipped over in a random hydro current our second time. The professional and efficient retrieval of all of us was incredible. Toast kept a cool head and plucked us out one by one as we swam Roach Motel :) Make sure you pay attention during those safety briefings. They might have been the difference from us coming out with only a few cuts and bruises versus serious injuries. They work and kept us safer. This last time, of course with my luck, I fell out of the raft. I got stuck under the raft in the current and without ANY HESITATION our guide Curtbag reached under the raft and with some assistant from our crew pulled me back on the raft in the middle of a rapid. Great teamwork and amazing direction from the guide. So if you have made it this far, things happen that are out of our control, but with the training and experience that the Raft One guides have, I have absolutely no doubts in their capabilities and CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK NEXT SEASON! We will be back next year a few more times and hopefully with even more people. read more

This place is great. You have several options when looking for a fun time on the Ocoee and I have taken a ride with most of the. Raft one is your best choice. A wonder staff both in the office and on the river. Alisha took the time to help me book multiple rafting and zip line adventures into one week to fit my schedule and she did it with a smile. In fact everyone at Raft one has a smile waiting for you. While on my river adventures I got to see the whole crew in action. Where to start, Bucky, Cassidy, Eric, Jamie, Jase, Louie, and Nick know every inch of the river. They do an excellent job keeping everyone safe and watching out for you while making sure you are have an awesome adventure you will always remember. This crew is not just pretending to have fun. You can tell they really enjoy showing a wet and wild time. They also offer a few fun things on the river other rafting companies do not. My favorite is when they flip a Raft over on a rock to create an extremely fun and bouncy slide into the river. For those that do not wish to participate it is a beautiful spot on the river to take a break. After all the fun has been had they have showes, changing rooms and a ice variety of refreshing snacks to pick from. I did not meet thier photographer but I did see amazing pictures that were taken of everyones adventure. They didn't miss anyone. To sum up this long review. Office staff is great, river guides can't be beat. They make your safety thier top prioritie without letting it get in the way of fun. They truly want you to enjoy the river as much as they do and can easily see just how much they enjoy. So pick Raft One. You will not regret it!!! read more

We decided to do a white river rafting since the cabin we rented was less than 15 minute from this place. We liked the reviews and called the place .. Dusty made sure that we will be able to have the experience that day so the three of us , my husband, my son and myself were set up for a 3 1/2 hours of adventures. Few hours later we got to the place, very clean on a cabin style business place. Got the instructions , hopped on the bus ride that took us to the middle part of Ocoee river , another set of instructions and preparation ( which was so appreciated cause we don't have much experience) we got Tommy AKA Thunder!! and the best guide anyone can have ! He was patient, fun , knowledgeable and made sure we got all the instructions right before we got in the raft. The white water river rafting can be intense and listening to him was imperative on getting back safe. We did amazing as a team and we even end up saving another tourist ( Thunder did most of the work) that got over the raft going thru the rapids. Nothing serious and the guy was back in his raft in no time , now we have a good story to tell our friends! The whole experience was adrenaline packed, fun, exhilarating, scary at time ( but a good scary) and truly recommend it! Coming back from the trip to the business office I've decided to try zip lining.. for the first time! Yes I did it! 7 zip lines in two hours , just know that the instructors were top notch! I wish I remembered the names , 5 o'clock team! You rock!! First step is the hardest .. and it was! Was worth it! So much fun! Go visit , you won't regret it! read more

My birthday thing is to go white water rafting so I started looking for a deal online in May (B'day in June).. the first one to pop up on my radar was a full day package with Raft One. I've been down the Ocoee a few times but with other companies. I cannot express how much I loved this trip and Raft One. We had a party of 7 and they kept us all in the same boat. We were also the only group out yesterday (7/7/12), so there wasn't any waiting around for other boats to catch up. Our guide, Danny was completely laid back and let us take the lead (only one novice in the boat). We had a couple of slip outs on the rapids, but Danny had us (self included) back in the boat in seconds, not minutes. I'm gonna also go ahead and give him props here because I'm not a dainty lady.. so for him to pull me in so quickly, he's got some serious strength. It was apparent that safety was his first concern and after that it was about ensuring that we had a good time. I'm going to look into going again later this season, but would only want Danny as my guide, which means obviously that I'd want Raft One as my tour company. The only complaint I'd say that I do have is that their outpost is built on top of an Aztec temple of stairs.. they're very steep and there is one section where the stairs have no railing. For someone who's fallen down stairs before, this is very intimidating. There were no issues yesterday, but that doesn't mean there wouldn't/won't be in the future. Otherwise, TOP NOTCH company. read more

I chose Raft One for mine & my son's first time rafting & we had an absolute blast!! We were lucky to get Eamon as our guide & I could not have asked for anyone better. Our raft had all adults (except my son, who is 17) & he vibed with everyone. He was very knowledgeable about rafting as well as the river in general & answered every question thrown at him. He taught my son how to do a back flip off a raft & even knew a little Ukranian, which surprised the other 4 in our raft. One thing that sets them apart from other companies is they tie all the rafts together next to rock & make a slide on one side of the rock that the groups can slide down. The youths LOVED it!! Nice touch to make a core memory on the river. The company as a whole was great! The building (including bathrooms & showers) were clean & the staff was friendly. The lead guide gave precise safety instructions to everyone in our time frame (with a great sense of humor, btw) & I felt safe going out for my first time with my son. They are not as far from the drop off as other outposts, so the bus ride wasn't long, which was great because it was well into the 90's that day. We did not get a chance to eat at the cafe, but it was offered. We had a GREAT first trip & will definitely be back! Hopefully, Eamon will be working that day & we'll get him again. read more

We took a tour with Raft One in late summer 2022. The weather wasn't great, we had some heavy rain and got started a little late, but the wet from above was nothing compared to the wet from below. Sunshine makes for a more pleasant ride, but definitely don't worry about the weather, you'll have a great time anyway! We took the middle Ocoee ride, and it was fantastic. A couple in our party was even there the second day in a row, because they had so much fun the first time. We had our children along, the youngest 12, and they'd never been rafting before, but we never felt like it was too challenging or dangerous at all for them. The guides were all knowledgeable and fun, they made sure we got in close touch with the river, told us about the river itself and things along the way. The entire party had a great time. There was a little surprise for us along the way that was lots of fun for everyone. Only thing was: The time on the river flew by so quickly, we regretted not having taken the full tour instead! Kudos to our guide Autumn, she was charismatic and enthusiastic about what she was doing, and she worked very hard to make sure we stayed safe and had a good time. We would definitely do the (longer) tour again the next time we're in the area! read more

My group of six was here for the weekend and we decided to book the zip line and rafting combo. The zip line portion was fun. We had fantastic guides - kitten kitty cat and Cierra. They were both so much fun and you can tell they truly love what they do. I've done several zip line courses in the past and this was one nice because we didn't have to do a lot of hiking; all the starts were close together so there wasn't a lot of waiting in between zips. The rafting portion was also very fun. Holden was our guide and he was so nice and knowledgeable. It was very interesting learning about the different rapids names and how they were named that. He let us decide how adventurous we wanted to be and didn't let any of us fall out the boat. Now, the rafting was cold. COLD. That's our fault for booking at the end of September. We were provided with dry tops that went over our clothes and those were nice. I wore water shoes and I'm glad I did. After the rafting you go back to the main center and there's changing rooms that also have hot showers connected to them. So it's worth bringing some body wash and a nice warm change of clothes for when you're done. They also took some cool pictures, we didn't purchase them but we should have ! read more

An Unforgettable Adventure with Jace on the Ocoee River! Our whitewater rafting trip on the Ocoee River was an absolute blast, and we owe it all to our fantastic guide, Jace. From the moment we met him, Jace's friendly and family-oriented demeanor made us feel right at home. My sister, mother, and I were all first-timers, but Jace's expert coaching and enthusiasm turned any apprehension into pure excitement. The rapids themselves were thrilling, and Jace's knowledge of the river and its twists and turns made us feel safe and confident. He ensured we were well-prepared and coached us through every rapid, making the entire experience ten times better. His stories and humor kept us entertained during the calmer stretches, and his encouragement during the intense moments was exactly what we needed. If you're considering a whitewater rafting adventure, do yourself a favor and ask for Jace. He truly made our trip unforgettable, and we can't wait to return for more heart-pounding fun on the Ocoee River! Conquer the Rapids with Whitewater River Rafting on the Ocoee River is a must-do for thrill-seekers. Thanks to Jace, we have memories that will last a lifetime. Highly recommended! read more

Raft1 is the GREATEST! We rafted the Ocoee with them on 6/7/2013. The water was extremely high due to heavy rain and I was a bit nervous but have been wanting to do this river for several years. Brent, who co-owns the company with his brother, was VERY helpful and reassuring. He and Bruce, a guide who has grown up in the area, answered all of my questions and really helped with my decision to go ahead and give it a go. When we arrived at the outpost the next morning, everyone was extremely nice and helpful. I have dealt with several outfitters over the years and have met many great ones, but none compare to Brent, Bruce, and the entire crew at Raft1! Bruce was our guide on the river, and WOW, what a guide! He made sure we had the best possible time on the river taking us to the extreme...... While being very safety minded. We had a BLAST! You can bet that the Ocoee river with RAFT1 will be on our must do list for years to come. Already planning next years trip and bringing more of my crazy family. If you want the best possible experience on the Ocoee, there is no other. Raft1 is the only company I will ever use or recommend. read more

Our family summer trip this year was centered around really one big activity, white water rafting. So, we went where the frothy water is, and that's in Copperhill Tennessee on the magnificent Ocoee river, where some of the best rapids in the world are. We selected Raft 1 and our guide, Nick, was really the highlight of the incredible experience. His knowledge of the area from folktale to industry, was super cool and helpful in putting perspective around just how complex and delicate the natural ecosystem in the area is. And of course, the rapids? Wow and wow. It's rare when a thing fully and completely lives up to the expectation set, but this experience did and then some. And at $40.00 a person for 2.5 hours on the river, you just can't beat the price. I highly recommend Raft 1 for any one looking for an outdoor adventure and a killer day with really knowledgeable and hospitable staff. Nick couldn't have been a better leader for us and the experience we'll cherish for many years to come. Special thanks to Nick for encouraging me to ride "Bull" through the class 4 sections. It was truly a blast! read more

Excellent rafting trip. Junior was an excellent guide. Every guide I have had the pleasure of rafting with from Raft 1 has been competent, fun and amazing. Junior this past trip ensured safety and also took challenges to make it extremely fun. I highly recommend this company. I have been rafting with this company and also zip lining for the past 6-8 years (minus 2 years during COVID). I will not choose any other company. They maintain a 5.0 rating for safety as that is important to me. This is an annual work team building event and overall so rewarding. We will be back!! Raft 1 has never disappointed. Again, do your research and pick what is important to you, but for me, previous experiences and safety is number 1. As a side note, they also have a great facility accommodating needs, such as food, drinks, clean bathrooms and showers. In addition, owners are readily available, accommodating and on site available. They even are guides and team leads when rafting. As a leader myself in my career, this is impressive. Thanks Raft1 for another great experience. We will be back!! read more

This was our first time rafting. I was nervous to do it and to allow my kids to do it but I'm glad we did. We had an amazing time. We split our group in two groups boys and girls. The boys went on a raft with Bucky and he gave them the adventure they wanted to have. The girls were in the raft with Spencer. Our experience was not as adventurous as the boys because we are nervous but Spencer's help us feel safe. They have a great team. I liked how the guides stop and wait for each other if someone is falling behind. I loved the sliding raft ( one the big rock) and the lazy river section. I'm glad I was able to conquer my fear and live this experience one thing from my bucket list accomplished. It was awesome!!! The girl at the front desk was very nice to us too. The pictures were great however I would love to have seen pictures from different areas since it is a long ride. I would of love to buy with the pictures a video of the ride since we get to do a lot and the scenario is amazing. That is more a suggestion to the owner. In overall our experience was great!!!! read more

Went rafting for the first time in my life and had a great time here. The guide I had was named Burt and he was fantastic. He was very skilled in navigating the waters and took us through some really cool areas. Our group was a bit more adventurous so we chose some of the more rough parts and even flipped over a few times; however, throughout the whole process, I felt totally safe and it was clear that the guide knew exactly what he was doing. Raft One had a few cool differentiators. For example, at one point our guide tied the raft to a rock and turned it upside down and we used it as a water slide. Another memorable moment came when our guide decided to "pirate" another boat and we snuck up on another group and pulled them into the water. Like I said, this was my first time so I was a bit cautious going in, but the experience turned out to be fantastic. Highly recommended. P.S. As I understand it, our guide (Burt) is only there a few days a year, so you probably won't be able to get him. But if he's there, I'd highly recommend him! read more

First time white water rafting and honestly I'd go work up there as a guide now too if I could! Our guide Caleb was absolutely awesome and this review should be redeemable for the full Friday burger because that trip was worth wayyy more than a lil PB&J! First of all he was just a very cool person that we got to know like a friend, but also navigated the river confidently despite him being relatively new to rafting and guiding as well. His communication is absolutely what stood out to us, other boats were looking super chaotic with guides just barking "PADDLE! PADDLE! PADDLE!" but Caleb kept us cool, calm collected, and in sync looking and feeling like total pros. Our group laughed along the whole way and truly had the best time - plus we all stayed on board, slid the waterslide, floated for a bit, and rode the bull. I'd absolutely do it again when I'm back, maybe even the all day trip, but special thanks to both Caleb and Raft 1 for inspiring my new love of rafting :) read more

White Water Rafting Fun! The process to register on-line was easy and once we arrived on site, the help was friendly and efficient. The facility is nice, well stocked with drinks, snacks, ice-cream and clean changing/shower areas for men and women and other areas to recreate and wait while your group gets checked in. There are also other items for sale if you have a last minute need for water shoes, t-shirt, etc. Instructions and gathering our equipment to load up for the ride to the river was professional and efficient. The guides were fun and worked well together. GRACIE was responsible for our group. She was friendly and made our trip down the river exciting. (On a personal note I'm concerned that she may be surviving weekly on a diet of pizza and air-fryer cookies) All in all it was a great experience and I'd like to take another trip down the river with Raft One! Thank you to Gracie and the rest of the staff! -Patrick read more

Best rafting experience of my life!!!! Raft One is super professional and amazing. They always go out of their way to make a trip extra special. You'll never forget it! Go forth and make memories that will last your entire life. Every part of the experience is fun - the outpost (where you start) is super cute and nestled in all of that delicious and beautiful wooded Blue Ridge mountain scenery. After a safety talk and discussion, you then take a fun bus ride to the drop point and you are on your way! The bus picks you up at the end and takes you right back to your car. There are bathrooms and showers at the outpost and they aren't even gross! They're downright charming! The entire experience from start to finish is A+++++. PRO TIP: Be sure to ask for Toast as your guide! Yes, Toast! Fresh delicious toasty bread right out of the toaster! Pack your PB and your J or just your B and get on Toast's boat, stat!!!! HE IS THE BEST! read more

Attn Holden: absolutely a five star guide. We took our church summer camp here with over 100 teenagers. Holden was the guide in my boat and he was absolutely amazing. Very personable, caring, funny, willing to make sure everyone had fun and got to experience the whole adventure. This company provides excellent customer service that you don't see often anymore in today's society. They have great customer service all the way around, great merchandise, very nice and clean changing rooms and bathrooms, the guide that gave the Safety speech is hilarious and perfect for that job because he keeps everyone's attention, and they have a really cool story of their heritage when they got started. We had over a dozen gus for our group and every single one of them was top notch, we spoke to all of our leaders and campers and all of them enjoyed their boat. Absolutely use this company if you want to have a fantastic experience. read more

Went down the river with a group of friends and we got a raft all to ourselves with our full-time comedian, part-time river guide, Dylan #2 - not to be confused with 'Other Dylan' aka 'Koondog,' who is not to be confused with Corndog, though I'm sure they're both fine just as well. We did the middle portion and had an absolute blast, all the way down to the makeshift waterslide, pirates jokes, and failed attempts to flip our boat "on accident." The guides all seem fun, yet informative, and will work to keep you safe, all while still pushing your limits because they know the river well enough to do so comfortably. Doing something like this during the times of Covid-19 might seem worrisome to some, but as long as you take your own precautions, they will take care of the rest with large sanitation buckets for the life vests after each run, available showers, and everything. read more

We did the zipline tour and river rafting with them. We had a great time thanks to the professional attitude of their experienced guides and staff. For the zipline portion, Kennedy and Jace made it a wonderful experience. A part of our group was nervous but through their encouragement, she felt comfortable to continue. Afterwards, she was happy that she had done it. Our group of 9 was split into 2 to fit into the rafts. Jace was in our raft while Kennedy took the other group. Jace was very competent, fun and appeared to enjoy taking people rafting. Our nervous person felt comfortable with Jace and very much enjoyed the ride. We will easily come back, hopefully later this year with our daughter! The operation was excellent, the staff was great and the equipment was top notch. We highly recommend them to anybody looking to either zipline or raft the Ocoee! read more